Daily
Reflections reading November 4th
A Daily Discipline
when
they [self-examination, meditation and prayer] are logically related and
interwoven, the result is an unshakable foundation for life. TWELVE STEPS AND
TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 98
The
last three Steps of the program invoke God’s loving discipline upon my willful
nature. If I devote just a few moments every night to a review of the
highlights of my day, along with an acknowledgment of those aspects that didn’t
please me so much, I gain a personal history of myself, one that is essential
to my growth, or lack of it, and to ask in prayerful meditation to be relieved
of those continuing shortcomings that cause me pain. Meditation and prayer also
teach me the art of focusing and listening. I find that the turmoil of the day
gets tuned out as I pray for His will and guidance. The practice of asking Him
to help me in my strivings for perfection puts a new slant on the tedium of any
day, because I know there is honor in any job done well. The daily discipline
of prayer and meditation will keep me in fit spiritual condition, able to face
whatever the day brings – without the thought of a drink.
©
Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My thoughts on November 4th Reading
I was told that prayer is my asking of God and meditation is
listening to Gods answers, when I got to these halls i had no faith in any God
and I sure did not trust yours I sat and listened to people share how they
started to believe in the higher power consept
I did not think that was so bad, the group became my higher
power at first, but this only worked for a little while I needed more, so I tried
this prayer thingy got on my knees and asked for help to stay away from a drink that day, it worked but still something
was missings
there are many ways to pray, each of us has a style that
expresses our own spirituality once I had open myself to my Higher Power I got
comfortable with how I was praying I started to leave my past ways behind me
but I used to pray for what I wanted, telling God what was
best for me and everybody else I really did not know how to pray I still was not honest with people or even
with myself so I started to get honest in my daily prayers
did not think that was working the things I prayed for I was
not getting, I asked my sponsor about that and He asked me if I was listening
to God's answers to my prayers he told me that step eleven had two parts to it
and you do a lot of praying, but very self-centered prayers,
thats why God keeps saying NO, the second part of step
eleven is the meditation part where you
sit quitely and listen with your heart to what God is saying to you look at
what your asking for, when your honest with your questions to God He will give
you the true answers,
remember God talks thru people in the fellowship so next
time you hear some one at meeting it just might be God answering you questions
listen with an open mind and the answers will be clear to you, honesty,
willingly, and humble is how you should be asking God to help you
so start listening with your heart I did not recover on self
will, God shows me the way I just had to be open to God's will for my this one
day through prayer and meditation this starts my day on the right footing and ends
my day at peace with myself
"Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our activities."
